


The Last Bard

by Kaixsenlove



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Chanyeol is the faun, Chanyeol is the faun although it's not mentioned, Faun - Freeform, No Smut, No pairings - Freeform, Pretty G rated, This was practice, Trying to get the juices flowing for A Werewolf's Tale, Wow they really let you put anything for a tag huh?, medieval kind of not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-08-13 22:42:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20181907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaixsenlove/pseuds/Kaixsenlove
Summary: Based on this prompt: The Last Bard - After the Queen was murdered the New Rules forbid any music within the kingdom. Those that defied them were left swinging from trees. Only one Bard remains, hidden in the forest, playing music through the night.





	The Last Bard

Baekhyun heard it. He heard it every night.

"Come on!" he shouted.

He convinced Kyungsoo to follow him into the woods. They weren't supposed to be out there. It was far past curfew, but still Baekhyun wanted to find where the music was coming from.

"We shouldn't be out here," Kyungsoo whispered. He was always so worried. "Music is _forbidden_."

Baekhyun kept walking but grinned back at his friend.

Their beautiful and beloved Queen had been mysteriously murdered. In the wake of the Kings’ grief all forms of music no matter how delightful have been forbidden all throughout the empire. Not a single hymn or gospel has been heard for months. The small village that Baekhyun and Kyungsoo lived in suddenly seemed so quiet and boring in the absence of the smooth melodies of the songs that would be played and sung constantly.

Baekhyun, like many throughout the kingdom, had not realized how filling and constant music had been in their lives until it was suddenly taken away.

"I know, but we are close Soo. There's someone out here playing music!"

Baekhyun was excited. It'd been a few weeks now that he'd heard the sweet sounds of music and he was eager to find the source.

There were heard rumors of the sound of music from deep in the woods. Only, woodsman, hunters, and merchants ever ventured that far into the forest and when they would return, they'd report the sounds of music.

It was only Baekhyun paid any attention to the words of woodsman, hunters, and merchants. They weren't exactly the most honest of people. Blame it on their line of business.

Baekhyun's own father, a merchant, would return from his ventures into the forest to fill Baekhyun's ears with his own testimony regarding music being played in the woods. _“He’s the last bard,”_ his father would say_. “They strung up all the others now he’s the last of ‘em.”_

"Baekhyun, I hear it, but we _really_ should not be out here. What if we get caught?"

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and kept moving his feet forward. Kyungsoo was whispering as if anyone could hear them this far out in the forest.

"Well if we get caught, we'll just be sent back home with a scolding from our parents." Baekhyun glanced back at his friend. "It is not a big deal."

“I do not wish to get caught listening to music!”

Baekhyun looked back at his friend. Kyungsoo has stopped in his tracks. His eyebrows were scrunched with worried. He had one hip cock with a hand resting on it. Baekhyun scoffed. He reminded him of his mother.

The punishment for playing music was death. In the early days of the ban, music could still be heard. Musicians continued to play their songs and the bards would recite their poems to the soft melody of music. Children sang the hymns and even the choir still sang their gospels in church for service.

There were notices posted on the church building and the local courthouse which explained the new law forbidding the playing of music. However, not many in the village, including Baekhyun, could read. The notice had to be read during the townhall meeting and again during church services. But still no one paid any attention to it.

That is until bodies started swinging from almost every tree in their small town. The King enacted a new order: _'Anyone caught playing music will be sentenced to death by hanging.'_ The sound of music ceased entirely after that.

He understood Kyungsoo's apprehension. The punishment for defying the law was grave.

"It is not illegal to _listen_ to music. It is illegal to _play_ it. There is a difference." Baekhyun said.

"Nevertheless," Kyungsoo shook his head. "I would rather _not_ take the chance."

Baekhyun stared at his friend. The sun had already set. The moon was high in the sky. It was pitch dark outside except for the lanterns that both he and Kyungsoo held which caused eerie shadows to dance across their faces.

He sighed, feigning sadness. "Alright, you go back." He turned on his heel and continued walking.

Kyungsoo faulted for only a moment before he spoke up.

"Wait," Kyungsoo rushed after him. "You are not coming back with me?"

The sound of the music only got louder as Baekhyun moved forward. There was no way he was going back. Not when he was so close.

"Of course, I am not going back.”

He continued walking and smiled as he heard the rustle of the leaves from Kyungsoo’s footsteps as he rushed to follow Baekhyun deeper into the forest. "You should go back if you are scared."

Kyungsoo huffed. Baekhyun knew Kyungsoo well enough to know that if Kyungsoo wasn’t holding the lantern he would surely cross his arms over his chest and pout. Instead, his friend fell into step beside Baekhyun.

"I do not want to go back alone." he glanced over his shoulder. Nothing could be seen but darkness.

"Well I am not going back until we find the musician."

The music was growing louder causing Baekhyuns’ heart to race faster as they got closer. He could hear the melody of a familiar folk song. He couldn’t help but hum along to the melody.

"I _love_ this song," Kyungsoo said suddenly. Baekhyun looked at his friend and smiled.

"Me too and anyway the law states it's illegal to _play _music not illegal to _listen _to music. Even if we get caught, we would not be the ones who face death."

Kyungsoo gave his friend a side glance. "I do not think the soldiers will make such a distinction."

He was probably right. If they got caught the soldiers may just swing them by their necks from a tree, but Baekhyun wasn't going to stop. The music was so loud now they could hear the melody clearly.

"Why must you find the source of the music? Is it not enough to just hear it?"

"I want to meet the musician."

Kyungsoo grabbed Baekhyun's arm to stopped him. "Why?"

"Because he is brave,” Baekhyun spoke as if he were in a dream

Kyungsoo furrowed his brow. "Baekhyun, you are brave too." Kyungsoo tilted his head to meet Baekhyun's eyes. "And also, a _dunce_ for sneaking out in the middle of the night to meet a musician.”

Baekhyun stared at his friend and smiled. "I miss music. I miss singing and dancing and having fun. This man, whoever he is, must miss it too. So much that he is risking death just to hear it again. He is brave." Baekhyun spoke as if he were in love.

“And if I am a dunce for coming out here,” Baekhyun added. “…then you must be a dunce as well to follow me.”

Kyungsoo shook his head but let Baekhyun's arm go. They continued walking.

"First of all, how do you know it is not a woman?" Kyungsoo raised his eyebrow at Baekhyun. "And he or she should not be regarded as brave. This musician is playing music in the middle of the night deep in the woods. They are _cowardly_. If they were brave, they would do it in the middle of the town square during the day for all to see and hear."

Baekhyun laughed. "If he _or she_ were to do so they would surely end up swinging from a tree by their necks."

"Well if we are caught, we will be the ones swinging from a tree," Kyungsoo mumbled under his breath.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and then stopped in his tracks. Far off in the distance a small light glowed. He looked at Kyungsoo and judging from his shocked face he saw the light as well. Baekhyun blew out the light of his lamp and indicated Kyungsoo to do the same.

They slowly walked in the direction of the light until they stood behind a pair of bushes and in front of them was a clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a large bolder and on top of the bolder was an equally large man playing the lyre.

Baekhyun grinned and turned towards Kyungsoo. He placed a single finger over his mouth indicating Kyungsoo be quiet. Kyungsoo nodded in return. His own curiosity taking over. They quietly sat down behind the bushes and listened.

They heard the familiar melody of a popular folk song. Baekhyun closed his eyes and swayed his body slightly to the music. It was hard for him to not sing along. He peaked his eyes open to look at Kyungsoo. In the dim lighting that was emitting from the musicians’ lamp he could tell his friend was mouthing the words with a small smile on his face. Baekhyun began to mouth the words with him so they could both sing along silently.

Then suddenly the music stopped.

They sat still and wide-eyed wondering if the musician was made aware of their presence.

After a few tense moments of silence Baekhyun decided to peek over the bushes. He got on his hands and knees and slowly lifted his head up.

The musician was still there but his back was turned to Baekhyun and he was bent over, reaching for something. When he sat straight again, he'd replaced his lyre with a lute. He raised it up towards his lips and as he did, he turned his body, so his side profile was facing them.

Baekhyun's jaw dropped at what he saw.

Atop the man's head were horns that snuck out of his black wavy hair. The horns were thick at their base and thinned into dull points as they curled into a loose 'S' shape. He had no shirt and no pants. As he held the lute against his lips Baekhyun could clearly see the bulge of the muscles in his arms.

His chest was chiseled and bare of any hair but as Baekhyuns’ eyes dared lower the man’s smooth stomach faded into a flat furry coat of dark brown hair. His thighs were thick and wide, completely covered in hair but his legs bent backwards oddly at the knee where the hair on his thighs and knees faded into smooth black skin. His feet were thick round black hoofs.

Baekhyun, with his jaw still hanging open, turned to look at Kyungsoo. He too snuck a look at the man and his mouth was hanging open as well.

A faun.

They both snapped their heads back to the faun when they heard the lute beginning to play.

Faun's were a myth. They were creatures said to have the torso of a man but the legs of a goat. Baekhyun was familiar with them from the stories his father would tell. He’d return home from his business ventures and tell all the children of his many run ins with creatures only heard from bed-time stories. The adults, especially Baekhyuns’ own mother, never took his father’s stories seriously. Baekhyun, however, would always listen with rapt attention. His father would always sound so convincing that Baekhyun always felt there was some truth to his father’s words.

Watching the faun play another familiar melody on the lute brought so much solidarity to all his father’s stories. If Baekhyun ever held any doubt about anything his father said it was completely washed away in that moment as he watched a half man half goat creature play an upbeat tune on the lute.

Baekhyun suddenly heard a rustle next to him. He looked over to see Kyungsoo standing. His eyes widened in shock as his friend began walking over towards the faun. He walked as if in a trance. Slowly making his way to the center of the clearing.

“Kyungsoo!” He whispered. But his friend never stopped instead he walked right up in the line of vision of the faun. Baekhyun watched in the dim lighting of the lamp as the creature’s eyes shifted towards Kyungsoo. Baekhyun felt his heart race and panic ran through his veins.

_What was Kyungsoo thinking?_

The music never stopped playing. The faun simply eyed Kyungsoo changing the beat of the song.

Baekhyun watched in shock as his friend (the same friend who was trying to convince Baekhyun to turn around and go back into town) began dancing to the rhythm of the song. His movements were slow at first, hesitant, but then the faun smiled over the lute he was blowing in and then Kyungsoo’s confidence slowly came through in his dance moves.

Baekhyun watched the scene in fascination. Kyungsoo had always been a good dancer. At events and gathering he could always be found leading the dances. 

Baekhyun missed the sound of music because it filled up the empty space of silence. He knew that Kyungsoo missed the sound of music because he loved to dance.

He was mesmerized for a moment. He liked to dance but he was not as good a dancer as Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo was talented. A dancer through and through.

Baekhyun hadn’t realized that he stood up until the music from the lute suddenly stopped and the eyes of the faun cut over to him.

Baekhyun felt his face heat up and was thankful for the darkness of the night. The faun was looking at him with suspicion, in such a way that Baekhyun, for an unknown reason felt guilty; as if he were interrupting.

“It is okay,” Kyungsoo spoke gently. He was speaking to the faun. He walked over to Baekhyun and grabbed his hands pulling him over to stand in front of the faun. “He is my friend.”

Kyungsoo smiled encouragingly at the faun and Baekhyun tried to do the same but he was sure his smile came off more as a grimace.

Kyungsoo made a gesture with his hand for the faun to start playing again.

The man's eye flicked between Kyungsoo and Baekhyun before he slowly lifted his flute and began playing.

Kyungsoo grinned and pulled Baekhyun so he was standing directly in front of him and began doing the gavotte dance. Baekhyun stood awkwardly. He glanced sideways towards the faun on the rock. He was staring at Baekhyun warily while he played the lute.

"Come on Baekhyun," Kyungsoo spoke loudly and finished with a giggle. He looked truly happy.

Baekhyun could not help but think how the tables have turned. At first Kyungsoo was the one who was too scared to go into the forest and now Baekhyun is too scared to move.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a hand on wrap around his wrist. Kyungsoo stood in front of him breathless and a little sweaty but a grin lit up his whole face.

"I am not a good dancer," Baekhyun admitted.

"I do not recall that ever stopped you from shaking your rump before," Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow at him. Baekhyun glanced at the faun again only to look away quickly when their eyes met. He suddenly felt so self-conscious. He did not want to make a fool out of himself.

Kyungsoo stepped close and whispered, "Do not worry about him, come on." Kyungsoo pulled on Baekhyun's arm. "We came all this way to find the musician. We've found him and now you are scared?"

Baekhyun pouted at his words and Kyungsoo laughed. "Let us dance!" Kyungsoo kicked off his shoes, spun on his toes, and began dancing.

Baekhyun couldn't help but laugh at the sight and let himself relax a bit. He shuffled his feet and began bobbing his head and just as he was about to really let himself go the music stopped.

Both Kyungsoo and Baekhyun frowned and turned towards the faun.

The faun smirked at them. He put the lute down and picked up a harp that was hidden on the side of the rock. And as Baekhyun looked he could see many instruments strewn about on the side of the rock. How he missed the harp was bemusing to him as it was almost half the size of the faun. It was gold and even in the dim lighting it glowed bright. Baekhyun was mesmerized for a moment.

The faun moved his fingers so expertly across the chords and music flowed from the harp to Baekhyun's ears.

He looked at Kyungsoo and they both smiled at each other. Kyungsoo began to dance; his body moving fluidly to the melody of the harp.

The song that the faun was playing was a town favorite that Baekhyun knew very well. While he did not consider himself a good dancer, he certainly was a great singer, so he did just that. He sang.

While the faun played the harp, Kyungsoo danced, and Baekhyun sang. It felt as if they were there for hours singing, dancing, laughing.

Eventually Kyungsoo plopped himself on the ground tired and sweaty. "It has been so long since I have danced so freely!"

Baekhyun with his eyes closed finished the last lyric of the song while the faun played the last note. As he opened his eyes, he looked at the faun to find the goat man looking at him with a smile. Baekhyun smiled back.

The faun stood and bowed graciously to Baekhyun casing the young man to blush. The faun stood back up and they stared at each other for a moment with smiles on their faces until Kyungsoo cleared his throat and spoke up.

"We should probably return soon."

Baekhyun turned to look at Kyungsoo who was smirking at him in an odd way. Baekhyun pouted but nodded.

"Yes, we should."

They said their goodbyes to the faun waving and bowing thanking the faun for the good music. Baekhyun guessed that the faun didn't speak or understand their language as he just nodded and waved goodbye.

They borrowed some fire from the fauns’ lamp to light their own lamps. Then they began the long walk back to their village giggling, singing, dancing and recalling the strange moment.

"That was so exciting!" Kyungsoo bounced on his toes and turned towards Baekhyun. "I am happy you convinced me to come out here with you. I never expected to see a faun!"

Baekhyun looked at him wide-eyed and nodded. "Never had I expected to see such a thing in my entire life."

Suddenly Kyungsoo smirked he grabbed Baekhyun's arm and pressed himself against Baekhyun's side.

"He seemed quite fond of you."

Baekhyun furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened. "Did you not notice how he was staring at you?" He rolled his eyes when Baekhyun shook his head. "He was _enamored_. Mesmerized by your amazing voice."

"Do not be ridiculous! How would that even work?" Baekhyun shook his head understanding what Kyungsoo was implying. "Half his body is that of a goat."

"Yes, but his top half is very much human," Kyungsoo laughed. "And his face," He held his own face in his hands and sighed. "He was very handsome."

Baekhyun looked at Kyungsoo as if he had two heads. They made it to the edge of the town and were now walking around the town square towards their homes.

Baekhyun did happen to notice how handsome the faun was but his thoughts didn't extend beyond that. He shook his head.

"Do not be ridiculous. We could never be. He is half goat." he said again.

He could not help but imagine being intimate with the faun. He quickly threw out that thought. _How would that even work?_

Kyungsoo smirked at him in the same odd way he did back in the forest. Baekhyun frowned.

When Kyungsoo spoke again his voice was lowered into a whisper. "Did you not take a gander between his legs?"

Baekhyun stared at Kyungsoo incredulously. "I certainly did not take a gander between his legs!"

"_Shh_," Kyungsoo giggled. "Keep your voice down."

They rounded a corner and Baekhyun's home finally came into view. He was suddenly very eager to return home. It was a shame that his house was all the way at the far end of the block.

"Well _I _took a glance between his legs."

Baekhyun looked at Kyungsoo apprehensively. He had hopes that if he remained quiet Kyungsoo would cease the conversation.

"All I will say," Kyungsoo began to Baekhyun's dismay. "...is that his legs may be that of a goat, but his manhood is _very much_ human-like if you understand."

Baekhyun did understand and he was horrified. They made it to Kyungsoo's house first to which Baekhyun was very thankful for.

"Go home before your mother and brother notice you have been gone," Baekhyun said.

They stood behind Kyungsoo's house at the back entrance.

He giggled at Baekhyun's reaction and winked at him. "It is just something to consider for next time."

"What next time?"

But Kyungsoo had already slipped inside the house and closed the door.

Baekhyun stood outside for a moment before making his way home, a few houses down. He was still thinking of the faun and the comments that Kyungsoo had made as he silently entered his home through the back door.

Compared to Kyungsoo’s home, Baekhyun’s parents’ house was much smaller. It had only one floor with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house itself was fit for a family of five but the house was full of many more of Baekhyun’s relatives.

Baekhyun carefully closed the door behind him and quietly crept into the house. Many of his uncles and cousins slept on the floor of the open room of the house. Baekhyun himself was young enough that his mother allowed him to sleep in one of the bedrooms with his nieces and nephews. So as quietly as he could he stepped over the sleeping bodies skillfully avoiding the squeaky planks on the floor and made his way to his room.

"Where have you _been_?"

Baekhyun's movements stilled. He was so close to his room. He could see the door down the hall. His hand twitched, eager to turn the knob.

"And do not even _think_ of lying to me."

He turned around to see the angry face of his mother staring back at him. Her lips were pressed tightly together, and her eyes narrowed at Baekhyun into thin slits. She had her arms crossed one of the other across her chest, pushed firmly against her bosom.

Baekhyun opened his mouth to speak the very thing she told him not to do which was lie, but then his mother spoke holding up a hand to let him know she didn’t want him to speak at all. Then why did she even ask?

“You will work shop every day from the morn until dusk as I see fit. You hear me?”

He nodded his head, “Yes mother.”

She continued to scold him for sneaking out late again, then sent him off to his room. Unlike his cousins who had to share the beds with each other, Baekhyun was lucky enough to have his own, but as he entered the room, he saw his older brother in his bed snoring very obnoxiously.

Baekhyun scowled. His older brother probably noticed he was gone for the night and took advantage of that by laying in Baekhyun’s bed. He changed into his night clothes and pouted as he let himself fall into bed careful to avoid his brother on the other side. He was sure to have chores up to his neck all week. He was not looking forward to the extra laborious hours in his family's shop. His mother would give him twice as many chores to do to keep him busy and too exhausted to sneak out at night. _Oh well_, he thought.

He grimaced when his brother let out a particularly large snore. Baekhyun sat up and pulled his brother by his leg until his body fell heavily on the floor. His brother did not even stir. When he awakens, he will be angry with Baekhyun for causing him such a headache, but in that moment Baekhyun could not bring himself to care.

As he laid back on his bed a smile graced his face as he thought back on the night. It had been so long since he'd heard music and tonight, he had the pleasure of listening to three different instruments play. He even got to sing and dance.

And how could he ever forget the faun? Kyungsoo had been right when he said the faun was handsome. Baekhyun let his eyes close as he thought of the fauns’ handsome face and the smirk, he gave Baekhyun before he and Kyungsoo left.

He bit his lip to keep himself from giggling. He would never admit it to Kyungsoo, but he did happen to glance between the faun’s legs.

Baekhyun pulled the covers over himself and snuggled into his pillow. He let himself fall asleep fantasizing about what could have happened if he'd ventured into the woods alone that night instead of making Kyungsoo tag along.

The End.


End file.
